Carburizing box and the like and process of making same



P A. E. ARMsfrRoNG CARBURIZING Box AND THE lxa'mb PROCESS oF MAKING SAME Filed Deo. 2, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 (Z0 /IZ /l I. 1 v.

July 29.- 192.4. v1,502,973

P. A. E. ARMSTRNG D THE LIKE AND PROCESS MAKING SAME' CARBURIZING Box AN 4 sheets-sheet 2 f I Filed Dec. 2. 192! 7E-5 l C9 lk/z' I j U @Y j! l ATTORNEY 1,502,973 P. A. E. ARMSROG I CARBURIZING BOX AND THE LIKE AND PROCESS OF MAKINGSAME Filed nec. v2. 192x 4 sheets-'sheet 5 v -INVENTOR WWA ATTORNEY July 29. 1924. ,A 1,502,973

P.A.E.ARMSTRONG C ARBURIZING BOX AND THE LIKE AND PROCESS (JF MAKING SAME Filed Dec. 2, 19.2] A .4 Sheets-Sheet 4 y' NVENTOR BY M-/WWA TTORNE Y Patented Julyze, ,1924.

'PERGY A. ARMSTRONG,

OF LOUDONYILLE, NEW-YRK,1 ASSIGNOR T LUDIUH COIEPANY, OTFgWATERVLIET, NEW YORK, A GOBPORATION 0F NEW I CARBURIZING BOX AND vTHE LIKE AND PROCESS OF MAKING BAIE.

Application lcd December 2, 1921. Serial No. 519,495.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, PERCY A. E. ARM- STRONG, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Loudonv'ille, ycounty of Albany, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvet, ment in Carburizing Boxes and the like and repeated Processes of Making Same, following is a specifica-tion. Y

My invention relates to carburizingI boxes and the like and the process of making same.

The invention is more particularly directed to the production of metal receptacles, such as carburizing boxes, annealing boxes and the like which/are subjected to use at high tem eratures,as, for exam le, by being y subjected to high eat andv to cooling.

It has been common to make carburizing boxes of 'a one piece casting, but such boxes, particularly when made from alloy steel adapted to resist corrosion when heated, which is desir-ably to be used for this pur'- posewill sooneror later, even if apparently :'ound when first cast, develop cracks and breaks, particularly along the sides, duc to th\` very severe strains set up in the cast materni.' The casting of such all-cast boxes pres.A nts numerous difficulties, and to Secure the iecessary strength the boxes must be quite thick and heavy. These difficulties are avoidec by the present invention and boxes produce i, which can be ut into use sub! stantiallyimme'diately wit out extensive annealing, .nd which, while' comparatively light in weight, will stand up substantially indefinitely when subjected to heating and cooling, as in the case of carburizing and annealing b \xes and the like, or to other drastic treatment which would result in the destruction cf the- .ordinary al1-cast boxes of which the or receptacles The lnventi on is herein illustrated in certain of the views -as embodied in boxes of generally parallelopipedon form, such as customarily used for carburizing boxes, but the form ofthe boxes may be extensively varied, as wlllfbe readily understood.

made up In the construction of a box of this form in accordance with the present invention, and compiising flat surfaces, the flat surfacesfsucl. as sides, ends and bottom are of previously formed plates or which may be of cast or rolled masheets,

er produced in any other suitable terial receptacle, it

1-4, and taken on manner.

` Such sheets or plates, which cian l be relatively light andv thin', are laced adjacent to one another, but prefers. ly not in contact, in a' suitably formed mold and are joined together by cast metal, which in the case of a rectangular box, within the mold to form the corners -and bottom edges of the box, or if desired one 'of the elements of the box, such as the bottom, may be formed integral with the" cast corners, the joining together of theside and end plates or sheets and their joining to the bottom being accomplished at -the saine time may be poured that the bottom is cast, and the boxes may be roduced in still other ways.

j or making the cast parts of the b ox maf terial is preferably use which will weld to the sheets or plates with which it lcomes into lcontact. A ood way of securing thisresult is to make t e cast parts of thesame material as the lates or sheets', and preferably both are ma e of Silchrome, a stable surface alloy steel, as described in my Patent No. 1,322,511,.of Nov. 25, 1919, and which is highly resistant to corrosion when heated.- While a weld is preferred fora fluid tight is not essential that a weld be formed in making receptacles such as carburizing boxes, and in such cese the slight creeping which can take place between the pre-formed plate or sheet members and, the cast connecting members may be tage in reducing strains throughout the box. In the accompanying drawings` I have illustrated certain forms of carburizing boxes in which my bodied, but showing is intended only 'fei'gillu'stration -and for affording an understandiiig of' the invention and not for limitation thereof to the forms shown. In said drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan view, with parts broken away, of a carburizing' box and its cover, the box having thecorner members for connectin the-side wall plates or sheets cast integra with the bottom. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 2'-'2, Fig. .1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 8, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 1 -4, Fig. 3. Figf is a horizontal s`ctional view of a molding apparatus 4set up to make the box 'of Fig. the line 5-5, Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 6 5, Fig. 5'. igs; 'i' and 8 are"re of advaninvention may be emit is to be understood that such sp'ectively cross-sectional and plan views of a b'ox having a plate or sheet bottom connected at its edges to the plate or sheet sides and ends by cast metal, sectional Fig. 7 being taken on line 7 7, Fig. 8.- Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional view of a substantially rectangular box having its corners welded before the cast corner members are -formed thereon. Fig. 10 is a transverse-sectional View of abox similar to that of Fig.. 9, but havingr the side walls formed of. av single sheetl bent at three corners and having its edges welded at the fourth corner before thel ast corner members are formed thereon. Fig-11 is aperspective view cfa round box having the side wall of a single plate, with one side wall joint. Fig. 12 is a transverse, cross-sectional view of a round box with the side wal-ls made of two plates with two joints. Fig. 13 is a-view similar. to Fig. 11 of a ring shaped box adapted for ring gears and the like, thel inner and outer'side walls made 'of single plates with one joint in each.' Fig. 14 is a transverse cross-sectional view of a box similar to that shown in Fig.-

13, but having inner and out'r walls made up of two plates respectively with two joints in each.

In the box of Figs. 1-4, reference character 10 is used to designatetlie box, and 11 the cover.` The sides 12, 12 and ends 13, 13 are shown as plane sheets or cast plates suitably cut or otherwise brought to size and are assembled in the mold 14 5 and 6) with their edges adjacent to one another and 'fairly close together, but preferably out of contactjwith one another, the mold being so formed as to leave spaces 15, 15 for receiving the molten metal lto form the corner members, 16. 16, into which the sides and end members 12. 12 and 13, 13 extend, as shown inFig. 4. If desired, provision may be made for positively securing or keying the side and end plates to the corner m^mbers cast about the edges thereof. The term plate is here and hereafter used inthe specification and in my claims to include -sheets made by`mechanical working, as by rolling, hammering and the like,`-"as^well as plates made by casting. The means for securing the' cast metal and -the plates .to gether may be of various forms. In Fig. 4 'I have shown holes "17 formed in the side and end plates, into which the nolten metal may run, forming retaining keys 17. In the box of Figs. 1-4, the bottom 18 is cast integralwith the corner members 16, 16', the

, adjacent edges of the side and end plates extending into the spaces 19, 19 left in the mold for forming thn thickenedA edge portions 20, 20 and the cast bottom 18, so that when thebox is completed the side and endplates are secured to the bottom, as clearly. shown in Fig. 2. Fastening means as shown fof the box when the lid is in box,said recessed portion 27 being adapted in Fig. 4, for example, maybe provided here, if desired. .l The eonstructionof the box withv thev east corners` integral with the cast bottom is partend inwardly vto fill out the corner, as

shown at 24, Figs. 1 and4, and such inner parts 23 do notextend entirely to the top edges of the side and end plates, but are notched out as shown at 25 (Figs. 2 and 3) to prlovide supports at each corner of the box for the inserted lid 11. Lid 11 preferably has an upwardly extending rib 26l about its upper surface, leaving a recessed .portion 27 between it and the upper edge lace in the to receive lluting material, as clay lor the like, to make'a tight closure.

Lid 11 may be handled as by inserting a poker .or the like instrument in `the hole 28 formed in the cross lug 29 extending across the recessed portion 30. The tops of lug 29 and of rib 26 are preferably substaptially flush with the upper edge of the box when the lid is in place, so that the boxesmay be set one on top -of another, if desired. as'wben placed in a carburizing furnacel The box of F s. 7 and 8 diii'ers from that of Figs. 1-4 by aving the bottom made up of the pre-formed plate 31 connected to the side and end plates. 12', 12 and'13, 13 by cast connecting members 31', 31 having legs formed integrallytherewith.'l The vertical cast corner members 16', 16 may be cast integrally with the bottom edge members 31', 31', or may be east separately therefrom, as desired. In making the larger size carburizing boxes the bottom wall ..plate 31 preferably is a casting, and the side wall members 12 and 13 may also -be made by casting, if desired, or these may be sheet metal plates.

The invention maybe embodied in variously modified rformsof boxes or pots. In

Fig. 9 the sides 12l and ends 13 are welded together as indicated at 32, andfurther secured together bycast'corners 33, I33. The welding may extend the'full length of the meeting edges or` only7 along a.. part or parts understood. and vpreferably at 34, and the corners are reenforced by castin S35.

` side walls 36 formed ofa In i ..11-14 round boxes or .pots are shown, t e round box of Fig.) 11 having its edges whereof are brought together, with or without welding andthe joint is enclosed in the cast member 37. Fig. 12 is like Fig.I 1-1, except that two sheets are used, their edges.v being joined in the .cast conneet-ing members 38, 39. The boxes of Figs. 13 and 14 -are' like thosel of Figs. 11 and 12 respectively, except'that'they are annular in form and the inner ring shaped wall 40 -may be made witha single joint enclosed in the cast conneotin member 41, as shown in Fig. 13, or with a; plurality of su'ch joints, two such joints 43 and 44 being shown in Fig. 14.

It will be seen that avbox constructed in accordance with my invention-possesses nuj merous features ot advantage, including lso among others, the following: A box so constructed is rigid and well adapted to stand hard usage, 1s virtually free from strains and, therefore, not subject to cracking or breakage upon heating and cooling, and is much l1 liter' than an all-cast box, thus en abling t e saving of valuable alloy material in manufacture, and securing economies in transportation and handling charges.l With the thin walls of high'thermal conductivity a considerable saving of time is effected,

' while largely avoiding heat losses'heretofore involved in heating up much excess box material in carburizmg and annealing furnaces and the like.

It is to be understood that modifications and changes may be resorted to within the scope of my claims, by which the invention is defined.

I claim:

1. A metal box for use at high temperatures made up of plates joined together 'by castings, said castings extending on both sides-of the plates.

2. A metal vessel for use at high temperaent sheet, the

not in contact, and joined together by metal cast about the adjacent edges,'and extendingon bothv sides bf the wall portions. A l

5. A-metalbox for use at hi h temperatures having-walls composed o 'a plurality of metal plates with their edges adjacent to one another, and cast corner members con-- 7. A metal box for use at high temperatures having its side and-end walls of metal.

plate, and, its bottom wall of cast metal, the side wall plateextending into the bottom and the material of the bottom wall being cast about the bottom "edges of the side and end walls.

8. A carburizing box comprising side walls of metal plate, and a bottom 'wall of cast met-al cast -around the lower edges of the side walls. I

9. A carburizing box comprising-side walls of metal plate, and corner members cast about the edgesof the side walls and connecting the sidewalls, the corner members being adapted to 'support a cover at the corners ofthe 'box'.

10. A metal box foruse at high temperatures comprising plate side walls and cast corner members cast about the edges of the tures having wall portions of metal plate joined-,together by cast metaLthe cast. metal embracing and extending upon opposite sides of the wall portions.

3. A metal vessel for use at high temperatures having a joint in its walls, comprising wall portions. of plate metal joined together by joining portions of cast metal into which the wallplates project,` the cast. metal extending upon both sides of the plate metal. A

t. A metal vessel for use at high temperatures having' wall portions of metal plates with the edges adjacent ,to one another, but

plate side walls and connecting the side walls, the interior 'parts of the -cast corner members being of less height than the side walls, and a cover Within' the side walls and supported by its corners upon said interior parts of thecorner members.l

11. A carburizing box comprlsing side.`

walls of metal plate,.a cast bottom -wall cast about and connecting the lower. edges ofthe side walls, and Vcast corner members cast about and connecting the adjacent edges of the side wall plates, the corner members forming separated ledge members to support a lid within the box, and a lid supported onl said ledge members and having an upwardly extending fiange near, its margin, forming a groove between the tiange and the upper edges of the bo'x for reception of' luting material.

12. A' carburizing box comprising a plurality of side wall members of metal plate,

-a cast bottom wall cast about -the lower edges ot the side walls,`which are thereby embeddedin the margin of the bottom wall, andthe side wall members being joined at their corners by. corner members of cast metal. integral with the bottom wall, -and cast about the adjacent edges of the side wall plates, whichl are thereby embedded in the vcorner members;

13. The process of making metal boxes sflmoe to extend on each side of the metal. for use-at high temperatures, which comp ates and connect said plates by their edges. prises assembling metal plates with their 15. The roeess -of making carburizmg- 16 edges adjacent to one another, and casting boxes, whic comprises assembling side wal I metal' about such adjacent edges. plates with their edges adjacent to one an` .14. The process of 'making metal boxes other, and casting a bottom wall and cast for use at hi h temperatures, which comcorner members integral withv the bottom prises as semb ing metal plates with their wall about the bottom edges of'the plates `20 edges adjacent Ito one another in a mold and their adjaeent edgesrespectively.

10 having an open space into which said edges In testimony thatI claim the foregging, project, leaving a space on each side of said I haveV signed my name hereto. edges andastmg metal in said open mold PERCY A. E. ARMSTRONG.' 

